# Torrent (District Electoral Area)

Torrent is one of the seven district electoral areas (DEA) in Mid Ulster, Northern Ireland. The district elects six members to Mid Ulster District Council and contains the wards of Ardboe, Coalisland North, Coalisland South, Donaghmore, Stewartstown and Washing Bay. Torrent forms part of the Mid Ulster constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.
It was created for the 1985 local elections, replacing Dungannon Area B which had existed since 1973, where it contained six wards (Altmore, Coalisland North, Coalisland South, Coalisand West and Newmills, Donaghmore and Washing Bay).

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 2023 | Niall McAleer (Sinn Féin) | Eimear Carney (Sinn Féin) | Nuala McLernon (Sinn Féin) | Dan Kerr (Independent) | Malachy Quinn (SDLP) | Jonathan Buchanan (DUP) |
| February 2020 Co-Option | Niall McAleer (Sinn Féin) | Joe O'Neill (Sinn Féin) | Niamh Doris (Sinn Féin) | Dan Kerr (Independent) | Malachy Quinn (SDLP) | Robert Colvin (UUP) |
| 2019 | Ronan McGinley (Sinn Féin) | Joe O'Neill (Sinn Féin) | Niamh Doris (Sinn Féin) | Dan Kerr (Independent) | Malachy Quinn (SDLP) | Robert Colvin (UUP) |
| January 2019 Co-Option | Ronan McGinley (Sinn Féin) | Joe O'Neill (Sinn Féin) | Niamh Doris (Sinn Féin) | Mickey Gillespie (Sinn Féin) | Malachy Quinn (SDLP) | Robert Colvin (UUP) |
| May 2016 Co-Option | Ronan McGinley (Sinn Féin) | Joe O'Neill (Sinn Féin) | Niamh Doris (Sinn Féin) | Mickey Gillespie (Sinn Féin) | Malachy Quinn (SDLP) | Kenneth Reid (UUP) |
| 2014 | Ronan McGinley (Sinn Féin) | Joe O'Neill (Sinn Féin) | Linda Dillon (Sinn Féin) | Mickey Gillespie (Sinn Féin) | Malachy Quinn (SDLP) | Kenneth Reid (UUP) |
| 2011 | Desmond Donnelly (Sinn Féin) | Joe O'Neill (Sinn Féin) | Pádraig Quinn (Sinn Féin) | Mickey Gillespie (Sinn Féin) | Jim Cavanagh (SDLP) | Kenneth Reid (UUP) |
| 2005 | Desmond Donnelly (Sinn Féin) | Francie Molloy (Sinn Féin) | Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin) | Mickey Gillespie (Sinn Féin) | Jim Cavanagh (SDLP) | Norman Badger (UUP) |
| 2001 | Desmond Donnelly (Sinn Féin) | Francie Molloy (Sinn Féin) | Jim Canning (Independent Nationalist) | Mickey Gillespie (Sinn Féin) | Jim Cavanagh (SDLP) | Norman Badger (UUP) |
| 1997 | Brendan Doris (Sinn Féin) | Francie Molloy (Sinn Féin) | Jim Canning (Independent Nationalist) | Mickey Gillespie (Sinn Féin) | Jim Cavanagh (SDLP) | Norman Badger (UUP) |
| 1993 | Brendan Doris (Sinn Féin) | Francie Molloy (Sinn Féin) | Jim Canning (Independent Nationalist) | Denise Sutton (Sinn Féin) | Jim Cavanagh (SDLP) | Norman Badger (UUP) |
| 1989 | Brendan Doris (Sinn Féin) | Martin McCaughey (Sinn Féin) | Jim Canning (Independent Nationalist) | Angela Donnelly (SDLP) | Jim Cavanagh (SDLP) | Thomas Kempton (UUP) |
| 1985 | Brian Duffin (Sinn Féin) | Francie Molloy (Sinn Féin) | Jim Canning (Independent Nationalist) | Patrick McGlinchey (SDLP) | Jim Cavanagh (SDLP) | Thomas Kempton (UUP) |

## 2023 Election

2019: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent (Rep)
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent (Rep)
2019–2023 Change: DUP gain from UUP
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Sinn Féin | Eimear Carney | 15.78% | 1,678 | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Niall McAleer* | 15.67% | 1,666 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Dan Kerr* | 13.12% | 1,395 | 1,431.00 | 1,443.69 | 1,994.96 | | | | |
| | DUP | Jonathan Buchanan | 11.00% | 1,170 | 1,181.00 | 1,181.09 | 1,182.09 | 1,186.09 | 1,823.09 | | |
| | SDLP | Malachy Quinn* | 9.04% | 961 | 1,084.00 | 1,093.63 | 1,113.90 | 1,170.90 | 1,244.90 | 1,434.90 | 1,448.42 |
| | Sinn Féin | Nuala McLernon | 10.79% | 1,147 | 1,161.00 | 1,182.87 | 1,195.05 | 1,243.05 | 1,243.05 | 1,245.05 | 1,349.13 |
| | Sinn Féin | Paul Kelly | 9.37% | 996 | 1,012.00 | 1,117.30 | 1,155.57 | 1,288.57 | 1,291.66 | 1,296.66 | 1,310.34 |
| | UUP | Robert Colvin* | 6.72% | 714 | 777.00 | 777.09 | 777.09 | 777.09 | | | |
| | Independent | Teresa Quinn | 5.85% | 622 | 628.00 | 628.90 | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Simon Graham | 2.67% | 284 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 16,464 Valid: 10,633 (64.58%) Spoilt: 173 Quota: 1,520 Turnout: 10,806 (65.63%) ||||||||||||

## 2019 Election

2014: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2019: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
2014–2019 Change: Independent gain from Sinn Féin
Torrent – 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | SDLP | Malachy Quinn* | 17.93% | 1,631 | | | | |
| | Independent | Dan Kerr | 16.76% | 1,525 | | | | |
| | UUP | Robert Colvin* | 11.19% | 1,018 | 1,052.41 | 1,055.91 | 1,914.91 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Ronan McGinley* † | 12.89% | 1,173 | 1,254.84 | 1,282.59 | 1,283.84 | 1,286.84 |
| | Sinn Féin | Joe O'Neill* | 10.93% | 994 | 1,099.09 | 1,162.59 | 1,164.9 | 1,175.9 |
| | Sinn Féin | Niamh Doris* | 11.01% | 1,002 | 1,066.48 | 1,175.73 | 1,157.04 | 1,170.04 |
| | Sinn Féin | Mickey Gillespie* | 9.41% | 856 | 894.75 | 931.25 | 933.25 | 937.25 |
| | DUP | Ian McCrea | 9.88% | 899 | 903.96 | 905.21 | | |
| Electorate: 15,458 Valid: 9,098 (58.86%) Spoilt: 138 Quota: 1,300 Turnout: 9,236 (59.75%) |||||||||

## 2014 Election

2011: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2014: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2011-2014 Change: No change
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Sinn Féin | Linda Dillon † | 14.81% | 1,218 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Joe O'Neill* | 13.95% | 1,147 | 1,310 | | | |
| | SDLP | Malachy Quinn | 8.91% | 733 | 822 | 846 | 847.89 | 1,361.89 |
| | Sinn Féin | Ronan McGinley | 11.02% | 906 | 958 | 982 | 985.36 | 1,139.51 |
| | UUP | Kenneth Reid* † | 13.42% | 1,104 | 1,106 | 1,109 | 1,109.09 | 1,117.12 |
| | Sinn Féin | Mickey Gillespie* | 10.21% | 840 | 936 | 1,003 | 1,031.47 | 1,069.47 |
| | DUP | Keith Buchanan | 10.35% | 851 | 852 | 852 | 852 | 856 |
| | SDLP | Deirdre Mayo* | 9.23% | 759 | 800 | 804 | 805.05 | |
| | Independent | Feargal O'Donnell | 8.11% | 667 | | | | |
| Electorate: 14,672 Valid: 8,225 (56.06%) Spoilt: 138 Quota: 1,176 Turnout: 8,363 (57.0%) |||||||||

## 2011 Election

2005: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2011: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2005-2011 Change: No change
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Gillespie* | 16.53% | 1,152 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Jim Cavanagh* | 16.10% | 1,122 | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Joe O'Neill* | 15.07% | 1,050 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Kenneth Reid | 11.74% | 818 | 818.42 | 820.76 | 1,131.76 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Desmond Donnelly* | 11.69% | 815 | 838.38 | 871.14 | 872.4 | 874.4 | 908.95 | 1,032.95 |
| | Sinn Féin | Pádraig Quinn | 9.69% | 675 | 800.44 | 812.92 | 813.92 | 813.92 | 825.97 | 971.93 |
| | Independent | Patricia Campbell | 7.32% | 510 | 514.34 | 535.4 | 540.53 | 577.53 | 578.93 | 722.97 |
| | Independent | James Walshe | 6.93% | 483 | 484.68 | 532.13 | 539.26 | 575.26 | 578.11 | |
| | DUP | Johnny Chartres | 4.94% | 344 | 344 | 345.04 | | | | |
| Electorate: 11,130 Valid: 6,969 (62.61%) Spoilt: 104 Quota: 996 Turnout: 7,073 (63.55%) |||||||||||

## 2005 Election

2001: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
2005: 4 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2001-2005 Change: Sinn Féin gain from Independent
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Gillespie* | 18.24% | 1,392 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Michelle O'Neill | 16.64% | 1,270 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Francie Molloy* | 15.37% | 1,173 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Desmond Donnelly* | 10.68% | 815 | 1,090.44 | 1,090.66 | 1,247.74 | | |
| | UUP | Norman Badger* | 9.59% | 732 | 732.22 | 1,076.22 | 1,076.5 | 1,076.5 | 1,077.88 |
| | SDLP | Jim Cavanagh* | 12.53% | 956 | 968.32 | 972.32 | 978.2 | 990.1 | 1,025.29 |
| | Independent | Jim Canning* | 12.10% | 923 | 927.84 | 932.84 | 941.94 | 958.88 | 1,002.81 |
| | DUP | Robert McFarland | 4.84% | 369 | 369.44 | | | | |
| Electorate: 10,410 Valid: 7,630 (73.29%) Spoilt: 90 Quota: 1,091 Turnout: 7,720 (74.16%) ||||||||||

## 2001 Election

1997: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
2001: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
1997-2001 Change: Independent Nationalist becomes Independent
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Sinn Féin | Francie Molloy* | 16.60% | 1,393 | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Gillespie* | 15.92% | 1,336 | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Jim Cavanagh* | 15.18% | 1,274 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Jim Canning* | 14.83% | 1,244 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Norman Badger* | 10.85% | 910 | 1,198 | 1,198.6 | 1,198.7 | 1,207.94 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Desmond Donnelly | 11.25% | 944 | 944 | 1,076.6 | 1,098.9 | 1,155.99 | 1,176.44 | 1,177.76 |
| | Sinn Féin | Brendan Doris* | 11.74% | 985 | 985 | 1,043.8 | 1,146.6 | 1,152.65 | 1,170.05 | 1,170.6 |
| | DUP | Robert McFarland | 3.62% | 304 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 10,314 Valid: 8,390 (81.35%) Spoilt: 172 Quota: 1,199 Turnout: 8,562 (83.01%) |||||||||||

## 1997 Election

1993: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
1997: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
1993-1997 Change: No change
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Sinn Féin | Francie Molloy* | 19.41% | 1,407 | | | |
| | UUP | Norman Badger* | 16.72% | 1,212 | | | |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Jim Canning* | 16.32% | 1,183 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Gillespie | 14.03% | 1,017 | 1,045.6 | | |
| | SDLP | Jim Cavanagh* | 11.48% | 832 | 844.48 | 1,078.48 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Brendan Doris* | 11.34% | 822 | 955.64 | 970.98 | 990.98 |
| | Sinn Féin | Jim O'Donnell | 6.80% | 493 | 670.58 | 687.88 | 695.88 |
| | SDLP | Joseph Gervin | 3.90% | 283 | 288.46 | | |
| Electorate: 9,730 Valid: 7,249 (74.50%) Spoilt: 159 Quota: 1,036 Turnout: 7,408 (76.14%) ||||||||

## 1993 Election

1989: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
1993: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
1989-1993 Change: Sinn Féin gain from SDLP
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Sinn Féin | Francie Molloy | 21.52% | 1,482 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Norman Badger | 19.17% | 1,320 | | | | | |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Jim Canning* | 15.90% | 1,095 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Brendan Doris* | 10.33% | 711 | 1,138.32 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Jim Cavanagh* | 11.98% | 825 | 835.44 | 982.8 | 985.14 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Denise Sutton | 11.20% | 771 | 810.6 | 811.56 | 955.99 | 962.49 | 978.88 |
| | SDLP | Angela Donnelly* | 4.65% | 320 | 323.6 | 471.92 | 472.05 | 516.25 | 817.95 |
| | SDLP | Joe Gervin | 5.26% | 362 | 368.12 | 403.16 | 404.85 | 462.44 | |
| Electorate: 9,047 Valid: 6,886 (76.11%) Spoilt: 166 Quota: 984 Turnout: 7,052 (77.95%) ||||||||||

## 1989 Election

1985: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
1989: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
1985-1989 Change: No change
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Jim Canning* | 26.02% | 1,626 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Thomas Kempton* | 21.33% | 1,333 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Jim Cavanagh* | 10.93% | 683 | 1,148.01 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Angela Donnelly | 5.71% | 357 | 383.95 | 733.11 | 835.48 | 984.48 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Brendan Doris | 12.13% | 758 | 835.91 | 836.77 | 848.66 | 878.44 | 884.44 |
| | Sinn Féin | Martin McCaughey | 11.66% | 729 | 737.33 | 740.77 | 743.09 | 752.53 | 753.53 |
| | Sinn Féin | John Corr | 8.80% | 550 | 617.62 | 624.5 | 656.4 | 688.57 | 697.57 |
| | SDLP | Bridie O'Donnell | 3.42% | 214 | 294.85 | 373.11 | 476.64 | | |
| Electorate: 8,643 Valid: 6,250 (72.31%) Spoilt: 222 Quota: 893 Turnout: 6,472 (74.88%) ||||||||||

## 1985 Election

1985: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Nationalist
Torrent - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | UUP | Thomas Kempton* | 17.27% | 1,120 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Francie Molloy | 16.64% | 1,079 | | | | | |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Jim Canning* | 13.14% | 852 | 853.44 | 923.44 | 935.2 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Brian Duffin | 10.07% | 653 | 653 | 668 | 785.6 | 786.6 | 821.3 |
| | SDLP | Patrick McGlinchey* | 8.80% | 571 | 572.26 | 590.26 | 594.04 | 628.6 | 789.4 |
| | SDLP | Jim Cavanagh | 9.07% | 588 | 588.36 | 609.36 | 610.48 | 648 | 773.92 |
| | Sinn Féin | Frances Donaghy | 9.88% | 641 | 641 | 644 | 653.38 | 653.38 | 763.08 |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Owen Nugent* | 8.51% | 552 | 553.08 | 561.08 | 564.16 | 596.38 | |
| | DUP | Edith White | 4.47% | 290 | 478.64 | 479.64 | 479.64 | | |
| | Ind. Republican | John Corr* | 2.16% | 140 | 140 | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,203 Valid: 6,486 (79.07%) Spoilt: 174 Quota: 927 Turnout: 6,660 (81.19%) ||||||||||